JAMES WELDON JOHNSON SCHOOL

516 Students

Elementary School Pre-K - 8th

School Overview

James Weldon Johnson School (P.S. 197), located at 176 East 115th Street in East Harlem, serves students from prekindergarten through fifth grade. Named after the prominent civil rights activist, writer, and composer James Weldon Johnson, the school is deeply integrated into the historic neighborhood and emphasizes a supportive, community-focused learning environment. It is committed to providing a well-rounded education that addresses both the academic and social-emotional needs of its diverse student body.

The school is recognized for its efforts to foster a culture of inclusivity and student growth, often utilizing a mix of collaborative instruction and neighborhood partnerships to engage its pupils. By promoting values rooted in the legacy of its namesake—such as advocacy, leadership, and the arts—the school aims to prepare young students for middle school success while encouraging them to be active, thoughtful participants in their community.

516

Total Students

46.1

Full-Time Teachers

11.2

Student/Teacher Ratio

95.5%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for JAMES WELDON JOHNSON SCHOOL
Demographic	Student Count
White	3
Hispanic	403
Black	94
Asian	6
Two or More	2
American Indian	8

Hispanic
403 (78.1%)
Black
94 (18.2%)
American Indian
8 (1.6%)
Asian
6 (1.2%)
White
3 (0.6%)
Two or More
2 (0.4%)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Elementary School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT # 4
Phone:	(212)876-5522
Grade Range:	Pre-K - 8th
Total Students:	516
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	46.1
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	11.2
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	487
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	6

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Pre-Kindergarten 42

Kindergarten 37

Grade 1 41

Grade 2 40

Grade 3 37

Grade 4 46

Grade 5 52

Grade 6 77

Grade 7 70

Grade 8 72

Ungraded 2